Disposable cup-shaped multilayer fibrous respirators are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,440 (Berg), U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,619 (Dyrud et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,796 (Kronzer et al). Respirators for protection against nuisance gases or vapors typically contain one or more fibrous web layers containing sorbent particles such as activated carbon or alumina, and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,373 (Braun), U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,577 (Huber et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,881 (Huber et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,371 (Krueger et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,972 (Magidson et al.).
Fibrous webs containing sorbent particles have been employed for a variety of other uses including vacuum cleaner bags, diapers and oil sorbents. Patents mentioning such particle-containing fibrous webs include U.S. Pat. No. 2,988,469 (Watson), U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,400 (Vogt et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,468 (Hershelman), U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,410 (Groeger et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,728 (Groeger), and International Application No. WO 97/30199 (Danaklon A/S et al.). Elastomeric or extensible webs containing particulate materials are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,949 (Morman et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,812 (Joseph et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,733 (Joseph et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,220 (Joseph et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,455 (Joseph et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,878 (Dragoo et al.). Pillowed microfiber webs containing sorbent particles are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,058 (Humlicek). A particle-laden meltblown material said to be useful for gas/vapor filtering and/or absorbing, and specifically for disposable vacuum cleaner bags, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,318 (Brooker et al.). A particle-laden coating employing pressure-sensitive adhesive microfibers said to be useful for absorbent products, such as sanitary napkins, pantyliners, incontinence products, diapers and to such related absorbent products, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,538 (Korpman).